Over 200 Boeing 727 and 737
fuselages are stacked in a north-south slant in relation to sun exposure
for energy efficiency. Two shifts in the direction of the main axis of
the fuselages generate two large open spaces within the stack.

The building utilizes the space
inside the fuselages to contain and organize functions that require
enclosed spaces - such as book collections, meeting rooms and
administration offices, - while the 2 large open spaces house a large
atrium with all the reading areas on one side and two auditoriums on the
other.

The library program is centered
around the large glazed atrium, which develops vertically through the
entire cross section of the building. The lower part of the atrium,
located on the second level and accessible directly from the new plaza
thru escalators and elevators, functions as a lobby and information
center. At each upper level, the reading areas bridge between the two
opposite interior facades generated by the cross sections of the
fuselages that look onto the atrium.

A transparent LCD system is
integrated in the atrium glazing and projects the library activities
onto the new plaza expanding its presence on the outside with moving
images and text.

The fuselage is the only part of
a decommissioned airplane that cannot be effectively recycled. The cost
of its demolition exceeds the profit of aluminum resale. A huge amount
of fuselages lays in the deserts of the western states. Boeing 727 and
737 are historically the most sold commercial planes and therefore the
most common in these graveyards. They are sold at very low prices
completely stripped and in great structural conditions.

The fuselage becomes the basic
module of this building. It is insulated and furnished according to the
program. The internal subdivision generated by the existing floor joists
is used to respond to functional needs: the upper section is used for
inhabitation while the lower one houses independent and interconnected
mechanical systems: HVAC, electrical, cabling, and a conveyor belts
network for the mechanical distribution of the books.